About US
The Operative-Technical Agency of Georgia (the OTA) has been established on 31 March 2017 as the Legal Entity of the Public Law operating under the umbrella of the State Security Service of Georgia.
Mission Statement Strengthening national security of Georgia, suppressing and preventing cyber threats using modern information and communication technologies.
Cybersecurity
Protection of Critical Informational Infrastucture and Response to Cybersecurity Incidents
CBRN Threats
Monitoring on Nuclear and Radiological Control Systems
Border Security
Electronic Surveillance Systems Deployed at the State Border
Innovation and Technological Development
Creation and Further Development for National Security and Law Enforcement Sectors
Legal and Regulatory Framework
Mandate of the Agency is defined by the Georgian Legislation prescribing its legal status, functions and supervisory mechanisms thereon
The Law “On State Security Service of Georgia”
Mentioned Legislative Act constitutes the foundational basis for OTA’s creation and prescribes general mandate of the Agency thereby. The Law “On State Security Service of Georgia” created legal preconditions for issuing and adopting other normative acts defining operational scope and powers of the OTA. The Georgian version of the Law is accessible at:
The Law “On Operative-Technical Agency of Georgia”
the Law defines OTA’s legal status, functional directions, powers granted and priorities together with the operational autonomy guarantees balanced with stringent oversight and control mechanisms over the activities of the Agency. The Georgian version of the Law is accessible at:
The Law “On Information Security”
The ISL establishes baseline cybersecurity standards and provides margins of OTA’s authorities while enforcing abovementioned legal requirements in its role as the Cybersecurity Regulator for I and II Tier Critical Informational System Subjects. Besides that, mentioned Legal Act also regulates matters related to the information sharing not only amongst the relevant category of Critical Informational System Subjects, but between the designated cybersecurity regulators.
Bylaws issued by the Head of the Operative-Technical Agency of Georgia
the Head of the OTA is in charge to issue the bylaws only on the bases of relevant Legislative Act and in explicit cases foreseen therein. These regulations intend to specify generic powers granted to the OTA by the prevailing legal acts (Laws, Government Resolutions, Decrees and etc) and facilitate their effective implementation in operational practice.
Monitoring and Control Over the Activities of the Agency
The OTA is equipped with wider autonomy guarantees ensuring uninterrupted functioning of the Agency and neutrality while performing legally imposed obligations. At the same time, following supervisory authorities are conducting sector specific oversight and control over the activities of the OTA aimed at prevention of potential malfeasance or other severe violations in office:
Parliamentary and Executive Oversight
the OTA is accountable before the Defense and Security Committee of the Georgian Parliament and the Prime-Minister of Georgia by providing annual reports to the Committee and Head of the Government reflecting aggregated statistical data and generalized findings on the activities and results gained thereby valid as of the reporting period.
Judicial Control
The designated supervisory judge from the Supreme Court of Georgia issues and controls enforcement of the warrants authorizing electronic surveillance measures in line with the Law “On Counterintelligence Activities”. Another important pillar of judiciary oversight is extended to the legality of the activities implemented at the OTA deployed Data Bank using special information and communication technologies.
Warrants issued by the Common Courts are indispensable both in Ex-ante and Post Factum mode to conduct those criminal investigative activities that are enforced using special technical means and are restrictive in nature of the right to privacy and inviolability of the secrecy of personal correspondence.
Monitoring over Personal Data Handling and Financial Control
As a result of latest amendments to the respective legal framework, the State Audit Office has been granted with the powers to supervise and control personal data handling process at the OTA both when realizing internal operational mandate as well as in course of the rendering covert investigative activities through special technical means.
Another core functional mandate of the State Audit Office involves control and monitoring over legality and rationality when spending budgetary means and other material assets assigned to the OTA with particular focus on state procurements process and other capital costs.
